Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Safety

Make sure your vessel and skill level is suitable for the paddling conditions you’re choosing.

Good swimming skills and practice on a small sheltered lake are recommended before paddling on open waterways.

SUP Leash

The most important tool when it comes to paddle board safety is a leash. Whether it is your first time out or you are an elite paddle boarder, this piece of equipment could be the difference between life and death. A leash is what connects you to your board, which is your personal flotation device that can float away from you in seconds. With a leash you are protecting your own life and the lives of those around you.

SUP PFD

The second most important tool in stand up paddle board safety is a PFD, or personal flotation device. Another aspect of standup paddle boarding you should know is that a paddleboard is considered a vessel when it is used “beyond the narrow limits of a swimming, surfing, or bathing area”.  In these zones, it is required by law that you wear a United States Coast Guard approved flotation device every time you paddle out past the designated “swimming, surfing, or bathing area.” Here you want to use a life jacket that provides maximum buoyancy.

Sunscreen

It is extremely important to practice protecting yourself against harmful UV rays on the water because you are subject to little shade and solar glare reflecting off the surface onto your skin. The most effective way to protect yourself against the UV rays are physical barriers. To keep your face protected, you should wear a hat that shades your entire face and to keep your upper body protected, you can wear a rash guard.